CHICAGO — It felt just like the figurative roof at Wrigley Field would have come off if Cody Bellinger hit a grand slam within the third inning Sunday.
The red-hot Bellinger, who two innings prior hit a two-run homer, settled for a sac fly and a pleasant ovation. It kick-started a five-run inning for the Cubs, who accomplished a profitable homestand with a 7-2 victory and sequence win over the rival Cardinals.
“That was a huge series for us, especially to drop the first one and then come back and win three,” mentioned first baseman Trey Mancini, who tallied an RBI double within the third. “Especially in a vital time of 12 months proper now, with the [Trade] Deadline arising.
“As a player, obviously, you don’t want to see any of your teammates get traded and hope to keep everybody together. Hopefully, we can keep playing well.”
After beginning their three-team, 10-game homestand after the break 1-3, the Cubs have gained 5 of their final six video games. At 48-51, they’re three video games below .500 for the primary time in practically a month. (They fell to 37-40 on June 27, dropping their first recreation after the London Series to the Phillies.)
They’re additionally 6 1/2 video games again of the first-place Brewers within the NL Central — the closest they’ve been in three weeks.
“I think you’re just starting to see the best version of us, to some extent,” supervisor David Ross mentioned earlier than Sunday’s recreation. “The offense has picked it up as of late, picking up the pitching, which I thought carried us early in the season. The bullpen has figured some things out at times. We’re playing all right.”
Besides Bellinger’s three-RBI day, Dansby Swanson — in his second recreation again from the injured listing — went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Yan Gomes made it 6-0 with a two-run double within the third, and Mancini then drove him in along with his double.
Jameson Taillon, who struggled deeply within the first half, delivered his third straight good outing, permitting a run and 7 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Ross pushed the massive right-hander, who threw 109 pitches, after a taxing few days for his bullpen. Michael Rucker, Anthony Kay and Javier Assad coated the ultimate 3 1/3 innings.
Taillon, who’s allowed three or fewer earned runs in three straight begins (a primary for him this season), echoed Ross’ pregame evaluation of the Cubs’ play of late.
“I feel like for a while I wasn’t doing my job there,” mentioned Taillon, who lowered his ERA 5.75 in his seventeenth begin. “So, it is good to at the least lastly really feel like I can begin retaining the workforce in video games and put us in a great place to win.
“We got Dansby back, that’s big. Belli was on the IL for a while. We got him back. We’ve had a few guys on the IL that are back and healthy and stuff, so I feel like that’s important. … It’s definitely a good vibe.”
Going additional again, the Cubs, after a tough stretch in May, are 22-15 since June 9.
Taillon, when requested whether or not attending to .500 is a litmus take a look at for the gamers to present the entrance workplace one thing to consider, mentioned the main focus is on enjoying good baseball — acknowledging his cliché.
Up subsequent is a pair of video games towards the crosstown White Sox and 4 extra with the Cardinals, down in St. Louis.
“We can obviously put a lot of weight into the games over the next week, but we’ve also had months to show who we are,” Taillon mentioned. “Obviously, you do not wish to overcook these video games. But I do really feel like we’re enjoying nicely proper now, and I do really feel like we’re clicking in loads of totally different areas.
“I do feel like we’re playing really well, but also, I just don’t really pay attention to that. I can genuinely say that.”
At the very least, the extra the Cubs win, the higher probability they need to place themselves to make a run the ultimate two months. And maybe this stretch is an indication of what this workforce may do.
“I see the talent,” Bellinger mentioned. “I’ve been around some good teams, been on some good teams. We’ve got the right guys in this clubhouse. I believe it. We all know that.”
Content Source: www.mlb.com